Chinese, German experts urge cooperation during Eurasia relations seminar

BEIJING, May 21 (Xinhua) -- Experts from China and Germany have called for cooperation to address global challenges in a turbulent world, as they took part in a seminar on China-Russia-Europe relations held in Beijing on Tuesday.

Organized by the Institute of Russian, Eastern European and Central Asian Studies under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), the seminar took place at a time when China and the European Union (EU) are celebrating the 50th anniversary of their establishment of diplomatic ties.

In his opening remarks, Sun Zhuangzhi, head of the Institute of Russian, Eastern European and Central Asian Studies under the CASS, said that amid profound global changes unseen in a century, humanity once again stands at a historic crossroads. Sun added that against this backdrop, academic discussions on China-Russia-Europe relations hold significant practical relevance.

Emphasizing that China and Europe share many mutual interests, Sun said it is crucial to find the greatest common ground for cooperation between the two sides, which carries special significance for safeguarding security and stability across the Eurasian continent and promoting global prosperity and development.

Nadine Godehardt, senior fellow in the Asia Division at the Brussels Office of the German Institute for International and Security Affairs, noted that the world is undergoing new and profound changes, with the geopolitical landscape in the Eurasian region becoming increasingly complex.

As a result, the EU and the European integration process are combining to generate new momentum for reform that has resulted in a series of policy adjustments, Godehardt said, adding that discussions among Chinese and European think tanks on China-Russia-Europe relations and the situation in the greater Eurasian region are both timely and significant.

Participating scholars agreed that in the face of a turbulent and interconnected international environment, countries around the world should uphold the principles of mutual success and shared progress, work together to address major global and regional challenges, and jointly contribute to a new chapter in international governance and multilateral cooperation.

Experts and scholars from the German Institute for International and Security Affairs, the Bertelsmann Foundation, Ruhr University Bochum, the CASS and the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations attended the seminar.